Loose-leaf binder



F. .L. MANNY. Loose LEAF BINDER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. ll. i918.

7,624. Patented Jan. 13,1926. j fl lmnii UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED L. MANNY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO BAKER-VAWTERCOMPANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Application filed February 11, 1918. Serial No. 216,623

To all whom z'tmay concern:-

Be it known that I, FREDv L. MANNY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to loose leaf binders which are now widely :used inbookkeeping and accounting systems, and has for its object animprovement in the binder structure which adapts it for more convenientuse in connection with a rack for holding the binder and the leaves ofthe same while entries are being made in the same. The rack itself formsno part of my invention, which relates only to the provision of meansfor making one of the covers of the binder detachable and removable. Tothe ends in view I have devised and invented the embodiment of myinvention shown in the accompanying drawing and hereinafter de-'scribed, the essential elements of the same being more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure lis a side view of one side of a binder, showingthe base portion of a cover which 1s detachable from the remainder ofthe binder structure according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar viewbut broken away to show the disengaging mechanism housed within the sideplate of the binder back and also showing the cover detached; Fig. 3 isa detail showing in elevation the lefthand end of the side plate asshown in Fig. 2 and looking towardthe back or lower edge of such plate;and Fig.

4 is a perspective view of a suitable rack for use in connection with abinder embodying my invention, showing a binder supported on the rackand with its removable cover detached and supported in position tosupport the sheets while entries are being made in the book.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figuresof the drawing.

For purposes of illustration and descrlption my invention will bedescribed as applied to a simple form of binder, similar to that shownin my pending application No. 194,349, filed October 2, 1917, although,as will be apparent, it is capable of application generally to bindershaving covers whlch at their base are hinged to a binder mechanismforgripping and retaining the sheets of the book in assembled form. Brieflydescribing the construction of the particular binder shown, it comprisesa pair of composite numbers A and B in the form of hollow sheet metalshells, which .may be termed side-bars. secured to the bar A, theseposts being made sectional, so that the may be built up to any desiredlength. The bar B is orificed to engage the posts C, and a key-operatedclamping mechanism, which need not here be described, is arranged on theinside of the bar B to clamp such bar firmly on the posts in anyposition of adjustment; the bars, posts and clamping means providing abinder mechanism for holding a body of slotted leaves or sheetsinterposed between the bars. The covers D and E of the binder are hingedto the bars A and B respectively, the cover D being detachably hingedtothe bar A in a manner which will now be de-. scribed.

The sheet metal member which forms the inner side of the bar A is formedwith a series of lugs 1, which are curved to surround and support acorresponding series of pivots 2 which are rigidly secured, by brazingor in other suitable manner, in the sockets thus formed. Secured to thecover 1) along its lower edge is a sheet metal hinge plate 3, the edgeofwhich is out and bent to form a series of sockets or bearings 4adapted to engage the pivots 2 .when the cover A is in registration withthe opposite cover B. The proportions and arrangement of the lugs l andpivots '2 with respect to the bearings 4 are such that by shiftingthe Ia cover A to the left the hinge elements will be disengaged, as willreadily be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. Thepivots 2 may, of course, be transposed to the members 4 and securedtherein, and the lugs 1 formed as bearings if desired. In order toretain the cover in engaged position, I have provided a retaining catchor detent 5, pivoted within the bar A and formed with a projecting nose6 which through the spring 7 is urged to a position of engagement withthe lefthand end of one of the sockets, or bearings 4 ofthe cover. Thesesockets, it may be here explained, are extended beyond the point ofactual engage- A series of binder posts C are ment with the pivots,which are relatively short, and the sockets, as well as the whole lowerportion of the cover, are covered with a facing of leather, in orderthat the binder may present a sightly and attractive appearance. Thedetent 5 is equipped with a stud 8 which projects through a slot in theouter member of the bar A in position to be manipulated by the user ofthe binder. Preferably the metal is slightly countersunk around the slotso as to permit ready manipulation by means of the thumb-nail.

It is obvious that when the detent 5 is disengaged by means of the stud8 from engagement with the shoulder of the hinged element 4, the cover Dmay be slipped axially of the pivots to a point where it will bedisengaged andmay be removed; and that in replacing the cover, when itis moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to a position of axialalinement of the pivots and their bearings, the nose 6 of the detentwill be depressed under spring tension and as soon as the cover is movedto the position shown in Fig. 1 the detent will spring into engagingposition back of the socket shoulder with which it cooperates, thussecuring the parts against disengagement.

In doing the work which my invention is particularly intended tofacilitate, the bars A and B are spread apart to disengage theinterposed entry sheets. The cover D is then disengaged and placed inthe position shown on the upper portion of the rack, and the sheets (orany desired portion of them) removed from the binder structure andplaced in the same division of the rack upon the cover. During theprocess of posting, the sheets are taken from this position, entriesmade thereon, and the sheets then returned to the binder in the lowercompartment of the rack.

I claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder having an extensible back and opposite covershinged thereto, the hinge members of one cover being disengageable fromthe cooperating hinge members of the back, a spring detent for lockingsaid hinge members in cooperative relation, and a manually-operablemember for shifting said detent to inoperative position.

2. In a binder structure having covers and a pair of opposite side bars,means for hinging a cover to one side bar including a series of pivotscarried by one of said last-mentioned two members, a series of bearingscarried by the other member, said pivots and bearings being arranged tobe disengaged by relative movement in an axial direction, a detentarranged to prevent such relative axial movement when the pivots andbearings are in engaged position, and means for shifting said detent toinoperative position.

3. In a loose leaf binder having an extensible back, a cover hingedthereto, either said back or said cover being equipped with a series ofpivots and the other of said members with a series of bearings and saidpivots and bearings being arranged to be disengaged by relative movementin an axial direction, and a spring detent arranged to prevent suchrelative axial movement when the pivots and bearings are in engagedposition.

4. A loose leaf binder structure according to claim 3 in which thespring detent is housed in the binder back and provided with anoperating stud projecting therefrom in position for manual operation.

5. A loose leaf binder structure according to claim 3 in which thespring detent is pivoted upon the binder back and formed with a nosearranged to cooperate with a hinge member on the cover.

6. A loose leaf binder structure according cover.

FRED L. MANNY.

